Xabi Alonso given key selection advice ahead of PSG vs Real Madrid – ‘No need to reinvent the wheel’ | OneFootball

A key protagonist in Real Madrid’s impressive run in the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup has been youth player Gonzalo Garcia.

The young striker has emerged as one of the best players in the tournament, notably racking up four goals in five matches.

However, with Kylian Mbappe returning to full fitness, Xabi Alonso faces the difficult choice of choosing between an in-form player and a proven superstar.

Pedja Mijatovic wants both players to start

Speaking on El Larguero, former Real Madrid star and director Pedja Mijatovic has given his clear advice to Xabi Alonso: Start with both Mbappe and Garcia.

“He has to choose between Gonzalo or Kylian Mbappe. And why not both? Gonzalo is on an impressive run and it would be a sin to take him off now. He’s endured everything, played very well, and scored a ton of goals,” he said (h/t Mundo Deportivo).

Can Mbappe and Garcia co-exist in the same lineup? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Gonzalo Garcia has indeed fought hard for a place in the team and is now reaping the rewards of his efforts.

Taking him off just before the semifinal against PSG would be a shame, not just for him but also for the Real Madrid fans.

Knowing this, Mijatovic implied that Vinicius Junior is someone who can possibly be dropped in order to accomodate Garcia and Mbappe into the team.

“Vinicius is a great player, but with Mbappe recovered and Gonzalo on an impressive run, I think there’s no need to reinvent the wheel now, and Xabi Alonso knows that perfectly well,” he said.

There is always a question of Xabi Alonso potentially starting all three in the Real Madrid frontline, but Mijatovic admitted that is highly unlikely.

“It would be strange for all three of them to play, although we mustn’t forget that Real Madrid is in preseason,” he said.

Finally, the former Real Madrid player speculated that Vinicius’ starting on the bench against PSG, a club that tried to sign him in 2019 and still remain interested, could start a potential fire.

“Could sending Vinicius to the bench against PSG mean a fire starts? I think Xabi Alonso is above that, and he already proved it at the Club World Cup,” he concluded.